Politics & Government

Planning Board Proposes Adult Entertainment Zone Vote for Town Meeting

Tomorrow, Wrentham residents will have a chance to vote on if Wrentham should have an area designated for adult businesses.

Not far down the road near the Walpole/Norwood boarder on Route 1, there is a sign for a new adult store that will be opening. Over in Wrentham, a new article for tomorrow's Special Town Meeting is designed to prevent a similar incident in Wrentham. When residents attend tomorrow's meeting at 7:30 at King Philip High School, they will vote on Article 7 which will decide if Wrentham will create an adult entertainment zone for anyone looking to open up a similar business or store as the one that will open soon in Norwood.  "No one likes to talk about this but the bottom line is we’re not allowed to prohibit adult uses so the purpose of this zoning is to regulate that control it," Town Planner Paige Duncan said. Due to protections provided by the 1st Amendment, the town cannot outright ban adult business but they can regulate where it can and cannot go. Currently, the lack of regulation means that an adult business can set up shop anywhere in town. It is something that Duncan is looking to prevent with the article.  "Any business district is vulnerable to this development unless the town stipulates where it could go," Duncan said. The location that the board recommended is in Wrentham but can only be accessed though the Shire Industrial Park in Norfolk right off of Route 1A. The location is difficult to get into as there isn't even a road cut to get to the land and Duncan couldn't even find it when she went to the area to take photos. A second possible location near the Franklin town line on Industrial Road right off of Route 140 was also discussed. The area was reccomended as an adult entertainment zone as part of a master plan project in 2005. While it does not look like a strip club or an adult bookstore will come to Wrentham anytime soon, the board is hoping to be prepared in the event that someone does try to open up an adult business in town. At last week's meeting, the board gave their recommendation towards the article 5-0. To see the proposals and the locations of zones, click on the photos provided in the article.


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